Home LED downlights - Reliability?

[Vratenza]

Shipping no issue huh? I always worried that the long narrow form of the fluorescent tubes will be prone to breakage during shipping no matter how well wrapped.

 

I buy from TB, my philips florescent tubes as well. Cos they are using the newer technology. Hard to find in SG.

I also bought spare ballast.

 

[Vratenza]

i am actually deciding if I want to swap out my T5 fluorescent tubes for LED lights...but I noticed that the original T5 tube wiring is triple wired (i assume is live/neutral/ground) while some of the LED tubes I saw are double (live/neutral)...or is it the other way round?

 

Anyone with experience in swapping T5 for LED tubes?

 

 

Yes. But their E27 version max 18W only. Their slim panel max 18W but requires a bigger hole opening.
Even the T8 LED is ard 19W compared to 36-40W existing fluorescent tubes.

So far.. My opinion.. New installation use LED makes perfect sense, but to retrofit existing.. Still undecided.

 

[Lala81]

Shipping no issue huh? I always worried that the long narrow form of the fluorescent tubes will be prone to breakage during shipping no matter how well wrapped.

 

Nope. They came with some bubble wrapping. 

I bought 3 x 22W and 3 x 32W. All intact.

 

No choice, my philips ceiling lights use electronic ballast and are slimmer than the usual ones selling outside. I didn't realise when i bought them, so far I've not found any place selling them locally. 

So i just buy them from china lol 

 

Maybe in few years time when LED ceiling lights become even more common and it gets harder to buy stock from china, i may have to change these lamps.

[Kurty]

last weekend, i went to an interesting shop in jb that sells innovative furniture, one of which that caught my eyes, were the e27 led long type.(commonly found in café)

proclaim to be some designer lights..

 

any idea where can i buy them cheaply?

in short, e27 led with designs.

[Kusje]

i am actually deciding if I want to swap out my T5 fluorescent tubes for LED lights...but I noticed that the original T5 tube wiring is triple wired (i assume is live/neutral/ground) while some of the LED tubes I saw are double (live/neutral)...or is it the other way round?

 

Anyone with experience in swapping T5 for LED tubes?

 

Can be done but you need to also buy a "dummy starter".

 

I didn't check the wires at all though...

[Vratenza]

Thinner ones are likely to be T5 tubes. They are more efficient and more expensive.  My place the cove lights all using these.  Can find at those everything-also-sell hardware shops in the neighbourhood centres.  Surprisingly NTUC/Giant don't sell these T5s. 

 

Ok i will see if i can source on TB for LED ones to try. 

 

Nope. They came with some bubble wrapping. 

I bought 3 x 22W and 3 x 32W. All intact.

 

No choice, my philips ceiling lights use electronic ballast and are slimmer than the usual ones selling outside. I didn't realise when i bought them, so far I've not found any place selling them locally. 

So i just buy them from china lol 

 

Maybe in few years time when LED ceiling lights become even more common and it gets harder to buy stock from china, i may have to change these lamps.

 

[Lala81]

Thinner ones are likely to be T5 tubes. They are more efficient and more expensive.  My place the cove lights all using these.  Can find at those everything-also-sell hardware shops in the neighbourhood centres.  Surprisingly NTUC/Giant don't sell these T5s. 

 

Ok i will see if i can source on TB for LED ones to try. 

 

i checked 2 DIY stores. Don't sell.

Aiyah screw it just order from TB. haha

 

Yup T5 tubes. Common in china, less so here.

 

Edited January 18, 2017 by Lala81

[Atrecord]

i am actually deciding if I want to swap out my T5 fluorescent tubes for LED lights...but I noticed that the original T5 tube wiring is triple wired (i assume is live/neutral/ground) while some of the LED tubes I saw are double (live/neutral)...or is it the other way round?

 

Anyone with experience in swapping T5 for LED tubes?

 

I have also been thinking about this for a while. I do have quite a lot of T5 cove lights, and only some of them are used regularly. The ID last time said install those lights very nice - but end up not very practical...

 

And the worst thing is those china T5 many not lasting one, hardly used also can spoilt... 

so i ended up taking the good ones from the places i least use, to replace those spoilt ones at the places where they are most used.

 

But i've been thinking whether it makes sense to replace with LED tubes. 

 

Since you're very daring with such things (saw your ceiling fan replacement), will follow this closely... if you do proceed.

I asked before during Philips carnival sale, and the guy said just go to hardware shop and buy that dunno what clip/connector can liao... 

[w7_lee]

i am actually deciding if I want to swap out my T5 fluorescent tubes for LED lights...but I noticed that the original T5 tube wiring is triple wired (i assume is live/neutral/ground) while some of the LED tubes I saw are double (live/neutral)...or is it the other way round?

 

Anyone with experience in swapping T5 for LED tubes?

 

Recently, one of the 18W T8 light in one of my machine stopped working. It was using e-ballast, so no starter. The e-ballast died.

There are also 3 wires going into the lamp housing (L,N,E). After dismantling the lamp housing, the L & N are connected to the e-ballast. E was connected to the lamp housing.

 

So we replace it with a MIC no-brand LED light (those type that's build into housing), L & N to the LED assembly connector and E to the housing. Been 2 months now and still working fine.

 

Not sure if this is what you are asking.

Edited January 18, 2017 by w7_lee

[Adrianli]

i am actually deciding if I want to swap out my T5 fluorescent tubes for LED lights...but I noticed that the original T5 tube wiring is triple wired (i assume is live/neutral/ground) while some of the LED tubes I saw are double (live/neutral)...or is it the other way round?

 

Anyone with experience in swapping T5 for LED tubes?

 

The ground wire just shaft it into the light fixture. Thatz what I do for my ceiling lights converted to LEDs. The LED drivers only require live and neutral.

 

And I believe the LEDs are linked in series cos the driver voltage is pretty high. 

[Adrianli]

Thinner ones are likely to be T5 tubes. They are more efficient and more expensive.  My place the cove lights all using these.  Can find at those everything-also-sell hardware shops in the neighbourhood centres.  Surprisingly NTUC/Giant don't sell these T5s. 

 

Ok i will see if i can source on TB for LED ones to try. 

 

Just go to the lighting shops at Kelantan Lane to get T5 light tubes if you need. I get mine there.

[BanCoe]

i am also thinking of replacing my present CFL to the LED types since its trending ; Went to a shop in Verasamy road; I cannot use my old housing (made of glass cover no more) the whole thing comes like a plug n play thing and they told me that I need to measure the cut out space (false ceiling) of my current lights which I measured was like 4.5"x4.5" and another one was 5.5"x5.5" (inches)

 

So I have to make a decision whether to stay with the old one (which has a classic glass cover) and also the metal frame around it is in gold so now the question of esthetics comes into play

 

 

[Raychay]

Can be done but you need to also buy a "dummy starter".

 

I didn't check the wires at all though...

It's actually a fuse according to the lighting shop that I bought my T8 led tubes from.

[Lala81]

i am also thinking of replacing my present CFL to the LED types since its trending ; Went to a shop in Verasamy road; I cannot use my old housing (made of glass cover no more) the whole thing comes like a plug n play thing and they told me that I need to measure the cut out space (false ceiling) of my current lights which I measured was like 4.5"x4.5" and another one was 5.5"x5.5" (inches)

 

So I have to make a decision whether to stay with the old one (which has a classic glass cover) and also the metal frame around it is in gold so now the question of esthetics comes into play

 

haha if its me, aint broke, i won't change. 

[pi3142]

i am actually deciding if I want to swap out my T5 fluorescent tubes for LED lights...but I noticed that the original T5 tube wiring is triple wired (i assume is live/neutral/ground) while some of the LED tubes I saw are double (live/neutral)...or is it the other way round?

 

Anyone with experience in swapping T5 for LED tubes?

I would suggest led strip lights if your cove is long. If LED t5, here is a link to a doc with installation instructions and photos for retrofitting T5 CFL to T5 LED in their product brochure. http://drled.com.sg/official/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/LED-Tube-Manual-for-600SF-T5-2ft-20130701.pdf .For me at home, I used Philips e27.

[Vratenza]

hmmm good idea, did not occur to me of that option

 

will look into that....maybe more cost effective 

 

I would suggest led strip lights if your cove is long. If LED t5, here is a link to a doc with installation instructions and photos for retrofitting T5 CFL to T5 LED in their product brochure. http://drled.com.sg/official/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/LED-Tube-Manual-for-600SF-T5-2ft-20130701.pdf .For me at home, I used Philips e27.

 

[D3badge]

Home LED downlights became popular few yrs ago and is now the norm for new home installations.

 

Would like to chk.. Anyone encounter breakdowns within short period? Can share your experience?

 

My home currently using PLC. Does retrofitting to LED improve the mean time between failure (MTBF)?

 

I heard a few cases of LED driver failure but hw widespread is it? Replacing LED costs a lot more than a PLC tube.

Think as Long as you buy reputable brand with quality control it should be alright. My current home is on the 5th year, whole house Philips LED from down light to lamp etc no issue.

 

My previous place non led light, buy all the made in china one...walau the heat from the light bulb melt the lights or lamp after 18mths you say leh?

 

Anyway Philips LED down lights are cheap I remember paying like $32 per down light 5 years ago.

[Atonchia]

Anyone know where to get LED driver?

Went DIY stores, neoghbouhood electrical stores, all don't sell driver.